The present invention relates to an optional cassette used for an electrophotographic process engine, and more particularly to a device for minimizing an installation space of the optional cassette by simplifying a configuration of the optional cassette, and for removing a jammed paper easily.
With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional optional cassette 1 comprises an optional cassette module 3 having a paper cassette 4. A pick up roller 6, installed in an upper side of the optional cassette module 3, picks up a paper 5 on the paper cassette 4. A transmission unit 8 can be rotated about a hinge 7 located over the paper cassette slot 2. The transmission unit 8 comprises a transmission passage 9 for passing the paper 5 supplied by the pick up roller 6. An upper end of the paper passage 9 is bent to communicate with a paper supplying passage 12 of an electrophotographic process engine 11. A transmission roller 10 is installed in the transmission passage 9 for transmitting the paper 5 to the paper supplying passage 12.
A shown in FIG. 1, the electrophotographic process engine 11 is installed on an upper side of the optional cassette 1, which can be used selectively if necessary, so that the paper supplying passage 12 of the electrophotographic process engine 11 is interfaced with the transmission passage 9 formed in the transmission unit 8.
The paper cassette 4 loaded with the paper 5 is installed in the optional cassette module 3 through the paper cassette slot 2 of the optional cassette 1. The pick up roller 6 picks up the paper 5 on an uppermost of many sheets of paper stacked in the paper cassette 4. The paper 5 is induced to one end of the transmission unit 8 through the transmission passage 9, the other end of the transmission unit 8 faces the paper supplying passage 12 of the electrophotographic process engine 11. The induced paper 5 is transmitted to a supplying roller 13 of the electrophotographic process engine 11 by the transmission roller 10 positioned in the transmission passage 9. The supplying roller 13 then supplies the paper 5 to a photosensitive device 14.
Accordingly, the present invention allows installation of the electrophotographic process engine on an improved optional cassette that requires less space since the transmission unit 8 of the improved optional cassette does not extend beyond the electrophotographic process engine 11, in contrast to the conventional transmission unit which is positioned on an outside of the electrophotographic process engine 11. The present invention also limits paper jams by shortening paper passages. Furthermore, the conventional optional cassette encounters a problem of the paper cassette pulling out when the transmission unit 8 is rotated about hinge 7.